Essentials of Music Business & Artist Management

Thom Yorke (Radiohead) and Studio Designer John Garder posing in front of the Omega Recording Studios Logo

Essentials of Music Business and Artist Management (3 Courses, 108 hours)

The Essentials of Music Business and Artist Management program educates students in the business practices, key legal concepts, and industry knowledge essential for building a successful career in music, recording or broadcasting.

The program begins with an overview of the music industry, explaining the functions of each of the “players,” from the composers and songwriters to the musicians, managers, agents, concert promoters, record producers, broadcasters, record labels, merchandisers, and retailers. Over the course of four months, students grow to understand how each earns a living, how each is important to the industry, and how each contributes to the success of the others.

A music industry attorney will educate you in the industry’s key legal concepts. As a Music Business student you will learn the significant role of copyright in the music industry, and its impact on the income of all of its participants through royalties, licensing, performance rights and publishing. You will gain an understanding of contracts, trademarks and other areas of entertainment law that will impact your career, and you will know when it is essential to have an attorney represent you.

You will learn the significance of publishers and organizations like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and SoundExchange and their role in the revenue stream of songwriters and composers. You will take part in a recording session with a professional record producer to gain insight into the producer’s role in the creative process, including creating a “hook,” stacking backgrounds, cutting the lead vocals, and working with the recording engineer in mixing the final song.

All of your instructors in the Music Business program are professionals who work every day in the trenches of the music industry, and they will bring you special insight because they have spent their lives in the business. From an industry-leading manager you will learn how he crafts an artist’s career through analysis of all of the artist’s potential revenue sources and through effective representation. From a label executive with a lifetime in the business you will learn the ins and outs of the record industry, especially current developments, and how to ensure fair earnings from your intellectual property. A radio executive will bring insight into the relationship between the music industry and broadcasting. A music merchandiser will teach you about marketing and retailing of records and derivative products, like ring tones, greeting cards and toys. A successful concert promoter will share the secrets of market research, booking talent, negotiating show contracts, selling tickets and all the other essentials for achieving success in concert promotion.

And from a veteran musician who has achieved success as a songwriter and recording artist, you will learn how to tie it all together so that you can make a living doing what you love to do in the music industry. The Music Business program is not a theoretical seminar. It is an information-packed, practical how-to guide from professionals who have actually done it themselves, designed to prepare the next generation of professionals for success. Whether your goal is to be an artist, manager, engineer, entrepreneur or business executive, you will find that this program will provide you with absolutely essential information that will contribute greatly to your career.

The Essentials of Music Business and Artist Management program can be taken individually, in combination with other Component programs, or as part of Omega’s Comprehensive or Audio Engineering for the Music Industry programs.  The program duration is approximately 20 weeks and is only offered in the evening.

 

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